There are iconic celebrities, and then there's Whoopi Goldberg. The 62 year old host of The View is one of the exclusive EGOT members, and has had a long career in front of the camera, spanning over a hundred film projects. Whoopi has a ton of iconic roles, but few are quite as beloved as the Sister Act franchise. She played night club singer Deloris Van Cartier, who must hideout as a nun and rename herself Sister Mary Clarence. It's a classic comedy filled with musical numbers, and its sequel Back in the Habit is held in similar regard. There is currently a third Sister Act movie being developed, but it turns out that Goldberg won't be involved much. As she recently revealed,
We've been all over Disney begging. They've decided that they're going to go in a different direction with Sister Act. So it won't be Sister Act 3 it will be a brand new rendition of Sister Act, and I guess I'll walk through a scene and that's how they'll say I was part of it.
Well, this is a bummer. It looks like Sister Act 3 will be following a very different nun, which is sure to disappoint the franchise's generations of fans. Whoopi Goldberg held both films with grace and a powerhouse voice, and it's hard to imagine the franchise living on without Dolores Van Cartier's signature attitude.
Whoopi Goldberg's comments to Good Morning Britain are certainly shocking, as no one expected the Sister Act franchise would continue without its protagonist and acclaimed star. Aside from continuing the movies' narrative, getting Goldberg on board would also lend a ton of star power to the potential project. Sister Act 3 will be hard pressed to find an actress with as much acclaim, and the franchise's fans will likely be judging the new star's performance with microscopic precision.
It should be interesting to see how the development of Sister Act 3 continues. While leaving behind Dolores/Sister Mary Clarence is a risky choice for the beloved musical franchise, it also opens things up narratively. All different types of stories can be crafted with a new character, and the format could be changed for the modern age. If a good enough story is being crafted, perhaps it simply didn't fit to include Whoopi Goldberg as the protagonist.
That being said, much of the starring cast of the Sister Act franchise are still working, and would presumably bring back audiences through the power of nostalgia. Maggie Smith continues being a living icon, and it would be thrilling to see Kathy Najimy's Sister Mary Patrick back on the silver screen. Unfortunately actress Mary Wickes died in 1995, so Sister Mary Lazarus wouldn't be included.
CinemaBlend will keep you updated on all the nunsense involved in Sister Act 3. In the meantime, check out our 2018 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.
